Trump Declares ‘Total and Complete Vindication’ After Comey Hearing

The country watched as former-FBI Director James B. Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee about his interactions with President Trump and whether or not the president attempted to impede or end the investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 election.

In his testimony, Comey called Trump a liar and said he started writing detailed memos about his interactions with the president because he did not believe Mr. Trump would be honest.

Comey said Trump’s comments about chaos within the Federal Bureau of Investigation under his watch were lies “plain and simple.“:

“The administration then chose to defame me and more importantly the FBI by saying that the organization was in disarray. That it was poorly led. That the workforce had lost confidence in its leader. Those were lies, plain and simple.”

Following several hours of Twitter silence, Mr. Trump took to the micro-blogging website to declare “total and complete vindication.”

Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication…and WOW, Comey is a leaker!

(The latter part of that tweet is referencing Comey’s revelation that he indirectly leaked his memo to The New York Times in the hopes of triggering a Special Prosecutor.)

Prior to the hearing, Mr. Trump suggested that he might be live tweeting to respond to Comey’s testimony. However, he did not tweet at all yesterday.

After Comey’s testimony, Mr. Trump’s lawyer Marc Kasowitz denied that the president had demanded loyalty from Comey, “The president also never told Mr. Comey, ‘I need loyalty, I expect loyalty,’ in form or substance.”

Kasowitz also denied that Mr. Trump tried to impede or shut down any investigation:

“The president never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone including suggesting that Mr. Comey ‘let Flynn go.'”

NBC News reported Friday morning that Kasowitz will file a complaint with the Department of Justice regarding Comey’s leaking of his memo to the press.

Response to the hearing was split mostly along ideological lines with Democrats arguing the hearing provided proof that Trump obstructed justice, and Republicans saying nothing new or incriminating came out.